It looks as though tragedy is on its way in BBC Sherlock series 4… but as Mark Gatiss gives us a hint of what to expect, we have to wonder – what does it all mean?
In an interview with The Radio Times, Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss gave us a hint of what’s to come in series 4… and it doesn’t sounds too good.
“You can always expect tragedy as well as adventure,” he said. “That’s just how it goes.”
But what’s in store for our intrepid detective and his partner-in-crime? It looks as though Sherlock co-star Amanda Abbingdon has some ideas…
“While we play fast and loose with the original stories, we generally follow the trajectory of what Conan Doyle did,” she explained. “So [John] gets married, and then Mary dies – so at some point presumably she’ll die.”
Of course, there’s no guarantee that this is what will happen in series 4… but I can’t help thinking that the addition of Mary isn’t a long term plan. And if anything can change the dynamic of the show, it’s the death of a loved one.
But Mark Gatiss assures us that this isn’t necessarily what will happen…
“Just because it’s in the stories doesn’t mean it’ll happen in the series because there’s an awful lot of changes and an awful lot of places to go and things to do,” he said. “It should be clear by now that while, of course, Doyle is our absolute god, we have gone quite a long way away as well – we’ve introduced Sherlock and Mycroft’s parents [for instance], I don’t think they’ve ever been seen in any adaptation – so there are lots of surprises to come.”
Quite what’s in store for Sherlock and John Watson remains to be seen… but the very fact that there’s a Series 4 at all is cause for celebration. Will Mary survive the upcoming events? For now, we’ll have to wait and see. But my money’s on a harrowing death that will shake the foundations of the show.
Whether or not it has something to do with Moriarty is anyone’s guess…
What do you think of Mark Gatiss’ comments? Are you excited for Sherlock series 4? Let us know what you think in the comments below…